


Dinner For Two

by baeconandeggs, baekyeolkr (armani_anagram)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: But also, Cliche, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Romance, Tsunderes, and by that i mean actual food, b eats a lot, c spoils b, feel good fic, not a sugar daddy au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-04-08 00:51:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19096393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baeconandeggs/pseuds/baeconandeggs, https://archiveofourown.org/users/armani_anagram/pseuds/baekyeolkr
Summary: Chanyeol needs his coffee and Baekhyun couldn’t say no to free food.Chanyeol has no time to build a relationship and Baekhyun has other priorities.In between coffee, ramen, and dinners, perhaps they’ll discover that love grows even in unready hearts.





	Dinner For Two

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sash4kyu (emotional_fool)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/emotional_fool/gifts).



> **Recipient:** sash4kyu  
>  **Disclaimer: baeconandeggs/the mods is/are not the author/s of this story. Authors will be credited and tagged after reveals.** The celebrities' names/images are merely borrowed and do not represent who the celebrities are in real life. No offense is intended towards them, their families or friends. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this fictional work. No copyright infringement is intended.  
>   
> 
> **Author's Note:** Hello! Please proceed to the End Note for my message. I wish you’ll enjoy my fic and get to read the end note. Thank you for giving my fic a chance! I wrote half of this fic listening to SSFW, and the other half drinking Chanyeol’s favorite drink [in this fic, not irl, i don’t like americano coffee]. Hehe.

 

Chanyeol neither has the time to date nor the patience to be in a relationship at the moment. All of his energy goes into managing the family’s tech firm and worrying about pleasing investors, but aside from that, he can’t stand any of the people his family sets up. He hears the same repetitive remarks at every family event.

_ You’re twenty-nine. Don’t you think it’s time to find someone? _

It’s always the Aunts who have something to say about it, which is why he agreed to let them arrange someone for him. Weeks had gone by and the entire thing about giving his relatives full permission to play matchmakers had slipped his mind until he came out of a bi-monthly meeting with the company board with his secretary, Amber, informing him that his schedule for Saturday evening had been (forcibly) cleared by his family.

As he enters his office with Amber in suit, Chanyeol heads straight to his desk. “Don’t tell me this is another dinner for a potential ‘match’.”

“Hate to be the bearer of bad news,” Amber starts, closing the office door behind her, “but it is.”

“I just had dinner with the last one they tried to set up with from, what? Like a month ago?” Thinking about it gives him a big headache. On top of everything that he has to do, pleasing his family with his love life (or lack thereof) was just a waste of time… Sitting down in his chair, Chanyeol throws Amber a tired gaze. “I’m assuming arrangements have been made already.”

“Yes, it has,” Amber confirms with a nod. “I’ve moved your Saturday dinner plans with Junmyeon for Sunday. He said that it actually works out better for him.”

“That’s one good thing then.”

Amber closes the door and leaves Chanyeol to his business. The thought of tomorrow’s dinner is for later. Right now, his over fixation in his work has already kicked in and there’s no stopping it.

 

oOo

 

Sticking to a strict schedule is Chanyeol’s way of life. Habit and hard work is what brought him success and he’s stuck to it for most of his life.

His usual morning jogs last for at least half an hour to a complete hour at most. But whatever time he would finish, he would always make the XO Cafè as his last stop.

He slows down to walking as he approaches the cafè. From the wide glass windows, he can already spot the familiar barista. A call comes in and he doesn’t hesitate to answer after seeing Junmyeon’s name.

Junmyeon asks for the drafts of their proposal, rechecking everything and anything they may need for tomorrow’s briefing and next week’s meeting with the new Japanese investors.

Chanyeol doesn’t forget to give the barista a smile when he saw him come in. The young barista is as bright as the first day Chanyeol saw him. It must be because of all that coffee he’s smelling the whole day.

“Hold on, Jun.” He asks the other man in the line to take a pause so he can make his order.

However, the barista is quick to catch on.

“One grande vanilla sweet cream cold brew.” The barista says in one breath and a blinding smile.

_ Thank you, Baek. _ Chanyeol lip syncs as he gives Baekhyun his card and continues talking with Junmyeon right away.

He sees Baekhyun personally prepare his drink, noting that there’s no one behind him.

“Alright, I see you tomorrow, Jun.” Chanyeol ends the call with a deep breath.

“Busy weekend?” Baekhyun asks him across the coffee machine between them.

“Busy life.”

“What’s in Mr. CEO Park’s schedule?”

Chanyeol’s not bothered by the younger’s teasing. He knows Baekhyun means well. “Briefings, meetings, and new investors. What’s new?”

Baekhyun finishes capping his drink. “Here’s your vanilla sweet cream cold brew, Chanyeol.”

“Thank you, Baekhyun. You’re an angel.”

“Well, this angel right here thinks a deep red wine neck tie would look good on you. It’ll snatch those investors away.” Baekhyun winks at the end of his sentence.

Chanyeol raises his cup in farewell and leaves the cafè. His mornings usually go like this. And the light conversations with Baekhyun makes them better ever since the young barista started working in the cafè for the previous year.

 

 

Time rolled infinitely slow after his small conversation with Baekhyun that morning.

 

He wanted dinnertime to come faster so he can finish the date earlier. Dressed to the nines, Chanyeol is fully prepared for the date. Even though his attendance is half hearted, it’s in his nature to look and present his best.

That doesn’t seem to be the case however for his date.

He’s been drumming his fingers on the table and couldn’t help the loud sigh that escaped him. He’s clearly disappointed. The ice in his glass of water has dissolved, the water is already warm, and even the last hint of condensation has dropped to the tablecloth, much like Chanyeol’s patience.

“Well,” he starts, “I think your nephew has made it clear that he doesn’t want to be here.”

Chanyeol stands up without making too much noise, still a gentleman even with his irritation. 

“Chanyeol, I’m sure there’s an explanation as to why he’s late.” Heechul looks uneasy now. Uneasier than he’s been thirty minutes earlier when they were running out of topic to talk about and his nephew still hasn’t come.

“Maybe, maybe not.” Chanyeol breathes in deep again. “But he hasn’t contacted you once for the past hour, correct? I think that’s a clear sign, Heechul. I’ll take my leave now. And please, don’t contact me unless you and your nephew is serious about this.”

Chanyeol gives a curt bow and leaves without looking back. A part of him thinks he's been too harsh with Heechul. It wasn’t the man’s fault but to whom should he direct his annoyance to if the person that caused it is missing?

A rumble of his stomach distracts Chanyeol from his angry stomping around the mall. He decides that a trip to the grocery would be a better way to pacify his irritation and find his dinner.

  
  
  
  


Baekhyun looks at his shopping list. It’s a very short list, really.

__ Ramen  
_ Toothpaste  
_ __ Laundry detergent

 

That’s all it says in his note app, but what else can he do? His job at XO Cafe pays well. That is if you’re a single person living with your parents. But for Baekhyun, that’s not the case. Most of his salary goes to his rent and utilities, and whatever’s left is for his everyday expenses. That is if there’s anything left.

His basket looks gaunt but it’s been this way for a time now and it’s not a new scenario to him. What’s new to him is the tall man in a pressed suit standing and staring at the onigiri stand. The side profile is familiar but his stance throws Baekhyun off. It’s too rigid.

He slowly approaches the man, who is still staring at the onigiris. You would think he’s praying to them… maybe he is.

“I know some onigiris are great, but do they really deserve this much worship?” Baekhyun merrily goads once he confirmed that his suspicions were right.

Chanyeol immediately turns to look at him, annoyance clear in those eyes and tensed shoulders. But then Baekhyun sees recognition flash across the CEO’s face.

_ Ah, there goes that charming eyebrow scrunching only Park Chanyeol can make. _

“Baekhyun!” Chanyeol drops his hands to his pockets and easily forms a smile on his lips.

“So were you planning on expanding your business to onigiris now? Wait, what is your business anyway? Is it related to onigiri?”

“Woah, slow down there kiddo. I’m just trying to decide which one I want for dinner. And since when did you wear glasses?”

Baekhyun pushes the bridge of his glasses by a  knuckle and then peeks at Chanyeol’s other side, spotting an empty cart. “So you’re deciding which onigiri to buy but brought a cart? Are you sure you’re not about to sweep the stand empty?”

There’s a few seconds of silence, and in those moments, Baekhyun hasn’t faltered in studying Chanyeol’s expression.

Chanyeol opened his mouth, probably to retort but stopped himself, and then a slight tilt of his head in confusion. But the biggest transition that Baekhyun sees is the one on Chanyeol’s lips. It was set on a tight straight line awhile ago, but now it’s transformed to that easy smile he has for him during his morning coffees.

“You know what, nevermind. Have you had your dinner yet?”

Baekhyun lifts up his basket to show Chanyeol his pack of instant ramen.

“That doesn’t look like healthy at all, Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun shrugs, “It’ll do.”

Suddenly, the basket is taken from his hold. Baekhyun had no time to react when he sees Chanyeol dumping his groceries in the cart. “Come on. Lead the way to the ramen section.”

 

They end up buying the 10 plus 3 promo pack of Baekhyun’s favorite ramen brand.

“They all taste the same to me.” Chanyeol says.

To which Baekhyun refutes, “That’s because you’re not cooking them right.”

Chanyeol looks utterly confused. “How can there be any other way to cook instant ramen? You boil the water, put the ingredients, and wait for some minutes.”

Baekhyun tuts and wiggles a finger at Chanyeol’s face. The taller wrapped his hand around the mocking finger to stop it’s motion but Baekhyun is unfazed and made no move to retrieve his prisoned finger.

“Whatever, kid. We may have to upgrade your taste. What’s your favorite food?”

Baekhyun didn’t even hesitate for a moment, “Shrimp ravioli.”

“I know the best place in Seoul. Come on, I’m hungry.” Chanyeol smirks in confidence and turns from him, carrying all their grocery bags.

“Hey, wait. What?” Baekhyun catches up to the taller’s long strides. “Are you asking me on a date?”

“It’s just dinner, Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun snorts, quite unattractive if you ask him.

  
  


But Chanyeol doesn’t think so.

  
  


Chanyeol drops the grocery bags in his car with Baekhyun in tow.

“This could count as kidnapping, you know.” Baekhyun calls out to before they could enter the car.

“So, no shrimp ravioli then?”

Baekhyun opens the passenger’s door and promptly enters.

Chanyeol couldn’t hide the wide smile that broke in his lips and the chuckle that followed after. He opts to spend some time by his opened car door to let his amusement pass. When he enters, Baekhyun has already locked in his seatbelt and looks like an excited puppy that’s about to go for a walk.

“You know,” his passenger starts talking when they were out of the parking lot. “Maybe not kidnapping but I think this is coercion.”

Chanyeol responds with a shake of his head in disbelief.

“Coercion of minor.”

At that, Chanyeol isn’t so amused. His eyes went big and he swears he heard his neck snap from the force of looking at Baekhyun.

Baekhyun looked young. But as far as Chanyeol knew, he’s in college and definitely not a minor.

“What?”

“Loosen up, old man. I’m kidding. Out of all the jokes I’ve been telling you, this one is what you take seriously? This is why you need to stop calling me kid, or kiddo.”

“I will once you stop calling me CEO Park and old man.” Chanyeol notices that his mood shifted quite fast, from concerned to relaxed, and it’s all because of Baekhyun. This isn’t the first time too, as he remembers what happened in the grocery.

“Touchè.”

“How old are you?”

“Will you be telling me yours if I answer?”

“Twenty nine.” Chanyeol answers, unbothered.

“Twenty four.” Baekhyun supplies with a smile.

Chanyeol nods absentmindedly, already parking the car. “Here we go.”

 

“So do you go to the groceries in your suit all the time?” Baekhyun asks Chanyeol while eagerly twisting his fork on his ravioli.

“No. A date stood me up.”

Baekhyun has his mouth wide open, ready to take in his first bite of the ravioli but stops midway upon hearing Chanyeol’s answer.

_ Cute. _ Chanyeol thinks. “Eat, Baekhyun.” He grabs Baekhyun’s wrist to lead his fork and his ravioli in his mouth. Baekhyun bites.

“It’s just a family set up. Nothing big.”

“You say that but you wore that red necktie I told you.”

“There’s nothing wrong with looking you’re best in any situation.”

“Yeah but why did you have to look so handsome?”

“What?” Chanyeol feigns not hearing the compliment. He knows it would work since Baekhyun has his mouth full of ravioli and chews in the most adorable way possible.

Baekhyun just raises both his eyebrows at him and dramatically chews, emphasizing that he’s busy.

  
  


“We’re close,” Baekhyun informs Chanyeol. He has the back of his hand on his lips trying to suppress a yawn.

“Sure you’re not gonna fall asleep before we get there?” Chanyeol looks different under the car’s dimmed lights and passing city lights. Baekhyun doesn’t know what Chanyeol looked like when he was younger but he reckons that it’s close to this.

Baekhyun remembers to shake his head in response to Chanyeol and then slowly blinks a couple of times.

“You can take all of the instant ramen. You’ll do them justice far better than I ever will.”

“No, you already bought me dinner. Besides, I already bought mine.”

“Yours looked like they’ll last for a day or two.”

Baekhyun shakes off the feeling that there might be concern masked in Chanyeol’s defence. Chanyeol, after all, is a gentleman as he’s known him for quite sometime now. Even so, it doesn’t sit well with him that he’s getting two free dinners from Chanyeol.

“Hmn. Then I’ll cook them for you. We can eat it at my place.” He suggests without a second thought.

“Are you inviting me over?”

“It’s a thank you dinner, Mr. CEO. Don’t flatter yourself too much.”

“You told me I’m handsome half an hour ago!”

“Are you sure? Maybe you misheard because I have a mouth full of ravioli.” Baekhyun sticks his tongue out.

 

“I’d like it if you can show me how to properly cook them, as you’ve said earlier. That is if, you’ll have me.”

“How about tomorrow night, then? Before you fly to Japan.”

“Woah, easy there kid. Don’t be too enthusiastic about that invitation.”

“You know what, old man? I take back calling you handsome.”

“So you did call me handsome?”

Baekhyun knows he's already caught. He's flustered and he's opening and closing his lips like a fish caught out of water.

“I’ll let you know, okay? I have a meeting tomorrow.”

“Meeting on a Sunday and then a three day business trip to Japan? Damn, Mr. Park, that’s one hell of a packed schedule.”

“Now you know why I can’t even think about having a relationship.”

Yes, Baekhyun thinks that it’s hard to build a relationship. But he’ll have to disagree with Chanyeol when it comes to  _ him _ specifically building it. Chanyeol had been nothing but sweet and thoughtful of him with the little time they spent. Ah, but what does he know?

Baekhyun keeps his thoughts to himself.

  
  


Time has a weird way of passing. He remembers having the longest afternoon asking for his dinner date to be over, and then the longest hour of waiting for his missing date. But then it’s as if time sped up when he met Baekhyun at the grocery. He can’t believe that he’s spent three whole hours with Baekhyun and not once did he look at his watch.

He wonders if it’ll be the same tomorrow.

It catches him off guard that he’s already thinking of having instant ramen at Baekhyun’s place tomorrow, when yesterday, all he had were thoughts of meetings and contracts.

Chanyeol shakes his head, “Byun Baekhyun, what are you doing to me?”

His phone lights up at the exact moment with the new addition to his contact list.

**Baekhyun**

Drive safe, Chanyeol. Thank you for the dinner.

oOo

 

Junmyeon closes the hard bound folder in a snap. Chanyeol exhales, ready to get up and leave.

“Let’s eat!” Junmyeon invites him as his butt rise from the chair.

“Maybe next time, Jun. I have other plans.”

“You can’t possibly have another meeting, right?”

“Nope.” There’s a very confused line in Junmyeon’s brows. “Let’s drop it, Jun. I’ll treat you next time, promise.”

 

Chanyeol is already typing a message to Baekhyun before he could even leave the room.

_ I’m on my way _ .

Baekhyun sends him his apartment number and tells him that the door is open for him. Before long, Chanyeol could already smell the classic aroma of instant ramen.

Chanyeol bumps his knee a few times on the table as they sit cross legged on the floor. 

 

Baekhyun snickers in front of him. He notice that the younger gets less and less shy in front of him and more open.

“I’m sorry, my space is too small.”

“Nothing to apologize for. It feel warmer and closer this way.”

If Baekhyun picked up on the slip of his tongue, the younger didn’t show. He served him a bowl of ramen. Chanyeol wouldn’t have believed that this was instant ramen if he didn’t see the packets of ramen by the kitchen awhile ago.

The bowl’s contents look very much like the ramen that’s served by the restaurant in their office building. It’s complete with long slices of carrots, cabbages, a drizzle of spring onion, and an egg split into two.

“Instant ramen would never be the same after this, Baekhyun.” Chanyeol didn’t bother to hide the amazement in his voice.

“Told you, you were doing it wrong. Try it!” Baekhyun is biting the end of his chopsticks. There’s a hint of pride and excitement in his voice.

Chanyeol digs in without reluctance. He groans in satisfaction after the first sip of the broth, and then some more. He is fully concentrated on the ramen that he misses the way Baekhyun is smiling at his reactions.

He place the bowl down to reveal its empty state.

“I think I’ll have some more.” He says with a straight face that it sends them both to fits of laughter.

He scoops some more for his second serving. 

“So, are you arranged to marry someone?” Baekhyun suddenly asks him, eyes concentrated on his own bowl.

“Why? Are you proposing to me over ramen?”

“You wish, old man.”

Chanyeol smirks at that. No, he doesn’t wish for it. Not yet, at least.

“I’m not. Where did you get that idea?”

“Yesterday you told me that you had a date set up by your family.”

“To meet, Baekhyun, not necessarily marry. Maybe when I’m thirty five, that’s when they’ll think they need to marry me off too.”

“So CEO’s like you also get in situations like that, huh.”

“Situations like meddling relatives, you mean?” Chanyeol scoops more noodles and transfers it to Baekhyun’s bowl, to which the latter softly says  _ thanks _ . “I think anyone, in any state, would have a meddling and insistent family member here or there.”

“Well. your date missed some golden opportunity right there.”

That makes Chanyeol smile a little. “Thanks, I guess. But I think that’s better too. I probably ”

“You’re good at caring for other people, Chanyeol. Better than what you probably think.”

“I don’t have the time to date, Baekhyun.”

“Of course you do. You’re here with me right?”

“So this is a date.”

“It’s just dinner, Chanyeol.” echoing his own words. “Point is, you have time.”

“Fine. Enough about me. What’s your story, Byun Baekhyun?”

What Baekhyun doesn’t give away by his facial expression, he gives away by body language. He fidgets in his seat, changes the way he holds his chopsticks, and shoulders stiffen.

“Complicated family. Supposedly in my third year of college but is taking a pause.” He answers fast and with a dismissive shrug.

“Why?” Chanyeol asks.

“Trying to save up money for the rest of my college years, and again, complicated family.”

Perhaps it’s not yet the time to talk about Baekhyun’s family. So Chanyeol tries to steer them to a lighter topic. “This is the second time I see you wearing your glasses. I’ve never seen you in them in the cafe.”

“Oh, I wear contact lenses at work, eyeglasses after it.”

“What about your plans after college?”

“I don’t think I have the luxury to think about it right now, Chanyeol. As you can see, I’m not yet in the process of completing college.”

“Yes, but you’re working hard. That means there’s something driving you to your goals. And I have an inkling that it’s a plan after college.”

The tips of Baekhyun’s ears turns pink. Chanyeol watches as Baekhyun slowly lifts his chopsticks and blow on his noodles. Chanyeol couldn’t tear his eyes aways from those lips which, by the way, is a good thing, really. If they were elsewhere, Chanyeol would’ve missed the faintest movement of Baekhyun’s lips and his softest whisper of,

“I want to take up law.”

Chanyeol took his time to process that. He lets Baekhyun eat his ramen in peace for awhile. And then he’s just there, staring and smiling at Baekhyun, watching as his glasses slightly fog each time he blows on his ramen.

“Why are you smiling like an idiot?” Baekhyun finally asks him.

He shakes his head, puts his hands on the table, and rests his head on his two hands. “I’m just…”

“Just what, Mr. CEO?”

“Just proud of you, kiddo.”

The pinked ears are now red, as well as Baekhyun’s neck. His blush intensefying his cuteness. “Stop calling me kiddo.”

“Stop calling me Mr. CEO.”

Across the instant ramen, Chanyeol is reminded of the difference in their ages and experiences. Where Chanyeol is established, Baekhyun is still building himself.

 

“You’ll do it, Baekhyun. I know you can do it.” Chanyeol pats the younger’s head with fondness and truth in his eyes.

oOo

 

Baekhyun is in haste the next morning. Chanyeol helped him clean up last night and even washed the dishes. He is assigned to open the cafe today. Baekhyun almost misses the black wallet under his table.

He’s sure that it’s not his, so he concludes that it belongs to one person only. Chanyeol must have dropped it last night. But then he remembers that Chanyeol is on his way to Japan this morning. Quickly, he dials the CEO’s number.

“Baekhyun? Everything okay?”

“I’m good. Just wanted to ask if maybe you dropped your wallet? There’s a wallet here in your spot last night.”

Baekhyun hears some shuffling in the background, and then a whispered  _ shit _ .

“Yeah, I think I did, Baek. Can you hold onto it for awhile? They’re already calling my flight.”

“No problem. Have a safe flight!”

“Thanks, B. I’ll call you when I get back.”

Baekhyun ignores the jump his heart made.

 

 

“So, is this a thing now?” Kyungsoo asks Baekhyun as they exit XO Cafè. 

“What?” Baekhyun answers, preoccupied with his phone.

“Your dates with CEO Park.”

Baekhyun turns to his friend with wide eyes, mouth hanging. “No, Soo, it’s not a thing. And they’re not dates either.”

“Sure, you say that, Baek.”

“I’m serious, Kyung. He’s just telling me he’s scheduled a late trip back home tomorrow.”

“And you have to know that, because?”

“Because I’ll return his wallet.”

“Which he left, where?” Kyungsoo knows the answer to all of his questions. Baekhyun knows that he knows.

“I’ve told you. Why are we going through all of this again?”

“Just trying to put my point across. Now, where did he left his wallet again?”

“Home.”

“Your home, last Sunday night, because you had dinner.”

“It wasn’t a date.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I was repaying him.”

“Because you had dinner with him the night prior to that too.”

Baekhyun is ready to retort, his line right on the tip of his tongue, but Kyungsoo puts his palm so close to his face, he would’ve smacked right into it. But he didn’t

“That, too, is not a date. Yeah, Baekhyun, sure.”

Baekhyun makes a sound at the back of his throat and then full on whines. He slips his arms on Kyungsoo’s arm and clings to it.

“Let’s not overthink it, Kyungsoo. Hmm?” He snuggles his face on his friend’s shoulder.

“I would agree to that if you’re really just in it for the food, Baekhyun.”

“But, yeah, I am! I would never say no to food! Who says no to food, Kyung?”

“Tell that to your wandering thoughts of a CEO who’s miles away in Japan.”

And there goes Baekhyun’s whines again.

 

oOo

 

_ I can just drop it off in your office. Don’t worry about it. _

 

Chanyeol reads Baekhyun’s latest text. He feels very guilty for burdening him with his wallet. He was supposed to go to the cafe instead of Baekhyun coming to his office. But then a delayed flight and a much needed stop over to the office happened. He orders them dinner to be delivered in the office while he was on his way from the airport. Hopefully thanking the kind hearted barista enough.

Baekhyun knocks on his office door a few moments after their food arrived. He seems to be surprised upon seeing the feast that welcomes him.

“Didn’t I have your wallet? How did you buy all of this?”

“Two words, Byun Baekhyun.” He swaggers towards Baekhyun. “Mobile banking.”

Chanyeol encircles Baekhyun’s wrist with a hand, “Come, let’s eat. I didn’t know what you wanted so...”

“So you ordered everything?”

Chanyeol shrugs and makes Baekhyun sit on the sofa while he sits beside him, with enough space so their knees are barely brushing once in awhile. He tells Baekhyun about his trip in Japan. The younger more interested in how Japan looks rather than what Chanyeol did there. Chanyeol finds it adorable everytime Baekhyun pouts because he couldn’t describe Japan with justice. He offers Baekhyun a mandu everytime it happens and the pout would then transform to a puff of his cheeks a he chews.

“I’d want to go to Japan, go snowboarding or skiing.” 

“We have those here.”

“Yeah, but I want to do it in Japan too, and then stay at a traditional onsen.”

Chanyeol tucks that conversation in his memory.

  
  


“I’d drive you home but I really have to finish some stuff here, Baekhyun. ” Chanyeol scratches the back of his head feeling too guilty. They have finished cleaning up and it’s getting late. He didn’t want to send Baekhyun home alone.

Baekhyun hushes him gently. “I can handle myself, Chanyeol, really. In fact,” Baekhyun pushes towards his table. “Why don’t you start on whatever it is that you need to finish. I saw some coffee in your pantry. I’ll make you one, and then I’ll take my leave. Okay?”

Chanyeol sighs and relaxes upon seeing Baekhyun’s sincere smile. “I think all we have are instant coffees. Please don’t judge our pantry.”

“You worry too much, Chanyeol. Let the coffee master take care of it. I’ll be right back.”

 

True to his word, Baekhyun comes back a little later bringing with him the smell of fresh coffee.

“It’s not a vanilla sweet cream cold brew but I did some magic on it to help you.” Baekhyun puts the coffee mug by table.

“Wow,” Chanyeol exclaims after the first sip, “that’s a very different coffee from what Amber has been giving me.” Chanyeol sees Baekhyun raise his eyebrows infinestimaly. “My secretary.”

He says before he can second think why he has to clarify who Amber is.

Baekhyun hums with a small smile. “Mind if I take a look around?”

Chanyeol sips from his mug again, and nods at Baekhyun, his overfixation on working starts to kick in.

 

The next moment he tears his eyes from his papers and computer, it’s close to midnight. Chanyeol lightly rubs his eyes and stretches his arms overhead. His yawn is cut when his eyes land on a lump by the sofa that’s a little too big for a pillow. He panics for a second but remembers Baekhyun. He doesn’t recall the young barista taking his leave. Baekhyun would have said good bye to him before leaving.

Slowly, he made made his way towards the lump in the sofa.

The slow in and exhale of the lump confirms that Baekhyun is sleeping soundly, fow how long, Chanyeol isn’t sure. He hasn’t notice that the younger had taken space in his sofa and decided to slumber. Perhaps Baekhyun hasn’t planned on it either. Maybe he sat down for awhile, rested, and then fell fast asleep. Chanyeol finds that thought very likely.

The glasses atop Baekhyun’s nose is skewed and the other half digging on his cheek from the position of his head. Carefully, Chanyeol reaches out to remove them from his face. He is able to slide them off easily, putting it by the low center table. He leaves Baekhyun and his quiet snores for a while to prepare his things.

By the time he checks on Baekhyun again, little yipping sounds are escaping from his slightly parted lips.

“Baekhyun.” Chanyeol calls on him softly.

The yipping stops but there’s no other sign of Baekhyun waking up.

“Baekhyun.” Chanyeol tries again, this time whispering a little closer, and Baekhyun whines a little.

Chanyeol then squats to come face to face with the still sleeping Baekhyun. Chanyeol could clearly see his long lashes and soft cheeks at this angle. Before he’s bewitched, Chanyeol tries to wake Baekhyun up again. “Come on, Baekhyun. Let’s go home.”

Finally, Baekhyun stirs. It’s a very slow process that starts with some movements of his eyes, a twitch in his fingers, and then a movement from his lips. Baekhyun squints, still in between sleep and awake.

Chanyeol smiles at him, all soft and tender.

However, Baekhyun doesn’t register this. One moment he’s trying to wake up, and then the next, he’s screaming.

Chanyeol is shocked, he jumps back but then stumbles at the low table. He almost crashes on the table but he’s able to turn his body to the side, falling on his arms.

For a second everything went very quiet and still. Baekhyun is still kind of disoriented on the sofa.

And then, Chanyeol’s shoulders shake. Just a little at first but then it becomes uncontrollable. Chanyeol bursts into a fit of laughter.

Baekhyun seems to have snapped out of his sleepiness and rushes at Chanyeol’s side, concern evident on his face.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

Chanyeol just shakes his head, still laughing, load and full bodied.

Baekhyun doesn’t understand why Chanyeol is laughing when he fell down quite hard on his butt, but he can’t help be infected by the older’s merry laugh. Baekhyun falls on his behind too, but softer than the other.

They laugh together at the absurdity of the situation, and at nothing at all.

 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Baekhyun whispers once they’re inside Chanyeol’s car.

“Don’t tell me you’re a master masseuse now.”

“I’m not, but I can try if it’ll help.”

Chanyeol snickers. He wouldn’t doubt that Baekhyun would try his best. Chanyeol is more concerned of his own reaction. “I’m really fine, Hyun. Don’t worry about it.”

Baekhyun yawns wide behind his palms.

“I’m sorry you stayed up this late. Take a rest first. I’ll wake you up when we arrive in your place.”

“Issokay, Chan. I like…” Baekhyun answers slurring, eyes already closed, and then he falls asleep without finishing his sentence.

Chanyeol almost woke Baekhyun up again. He wants to. But the quiet snores comes again and it entirely melts him.

He’ll just have to live with the frustratingly incomplete sentence.

Baekhyun likes what?

The office?

The sofa?

The dinner?

Him?

Oh, the frustration of it all.

 

oOo

 

“One grande vanilla sweet cream cold brew.”

Chanyeol looks up from his papers, already starting his work before having his coffee.

“The cafe was packed. But your favorite barista was quick enough when he saw me.” Amber smiles sweet and sly.

Chanyeol takes the cold caffeine and takes a sip. “He knows you now?”

“I don’t know, boss. I think I’m the only one in the block that has purple hair?”

Chanyeol hums in answer, quite dissatisfied but also not knowing what he expected.

Amber adds in her very fast speech, “But also maybe because I saw him looking for someone and I kinda let it slip that I’m Park Chanyeol’s secretary, so he went like ‘Amber, right?’ So what was I supposed to do, boss? I said, ‘yes! You must be Baekhyun!’.” And then she stops in a snap.

“What?”

“What, what?”

“Amber.” There’s a little growl in Chanyeol but Amber knows there’s no bite to it. Chanyeol’s like a big white wolf on the outside but a very cute maltese on the inside.

“I mean, look, Chanyeol.” Amber sits on the chair in front of Chanyeol’s table. “As your secretary, I know your schedule, right? Ask me your schedule a month from now and I know that you have another dinner, 7 P.M. at your uncle’s hotel, with the daughter of their family friend. And please do take note that what I put in on that schedule is ‘uncle Lim’s family friend’, no name , Chanyeol. You know why?” She doesn’t let him answer. “Because I don’t know any one of your date’s names. I know them by your story, by title, by association to whichever relative set you up on that date, but not their name. I have no business knowing their names, true.”

“I don’t get your point, Ber.”

“I was getting to it but you interrupted me, boss. So what I’m saying here is, you had Baekhyun’s name on the tip of your lips the month he started working in  XO Cafe. I have no business knowing his name too, but you made it my business when you started telling me stories about him, and not by codename. I think this is not just a crush, boss. So why are you hiding like a damsel in distress here in your castle for weeks now?”

“Excuse me, but why are you so chatty? What did you do to my secretary?”

“Because, dear boss, I come in here, give you your vsccb, and then you look at it like it’s your life.”

“Caffeine  _ is _ life, Amber.”

“Yeah but you also look up to the door as if XO Cafe does deliveries and a certain cute barista is holding your life.” Amber air quotes life.

Chanyeol sits back and then he sighs, long and deep. “I don’t have time, Amber. It’s just too much effort.”

“So is he not worth a try?”

Chanyeol shakes his head, “On the contrary, I think I’m the one who’s not worth a try. He’s young. He deserves someone who can give him undivided attention, spoil him and love him twenty four-seven.”

Amber tuts a several few times, sounding like his grandmother. “Sounds whipped to me. More whipped than that whipped cream Baekhyun was holding awhile ago.”

Chanyeol groans in frustration and missing the young barista.

The door to Chanyeol’s office opens to reveal Junmyeon. Amber takes this as her cue to leave. She dusts her hands and makes a show of standing up.“Why must men always make life so hard?” She says as parting words to his boss.

“I give you your paychecks, Amber.” 

Amber turns her upper body back to look at her boss with a cheeky smile, “Heh. Jongdae in the accounting is the one who’s giving me paychecks, boss.”

 

Junmyeon looks at Chanyeol who’s has his face on both his palms. “Why’s Amber preaching so early in the morning? Is there anything going on between you two?”

“Don’t start, Junmyeon.” Chanyeol mumbles in between his palms.

“Is this about, that barista? Baekhyun, right?”

That effectively brings Chanyeol to lie on his arms by his table. It’ll be a long week.

 

oOo

 

Baekhyun wipes the table as he’s preparing to open the cafè with Kyungsoo. He checks his phone and this doesn’t go unnoticed by his friend.

“He’s just busy, Baek. You worry about him like how my mom worries about me.”

“He hasn’t replied to me.”

“He’s a CEO. Besides, you see his secretary everyday, getting his drink. That must mean he’s alive.”

“His schedule hasn’t stopped him from getting his coffee on his own before.”

There’s almost a pout in those lips. Kyungsoo can tell that Baekhyun’s trying hard to control his reactions. He’s making a really bad effort. “What happened to the it’s-just-dinner excuse?”

“How am I gonna get free dinner if he’s not replying to me?”

“You sound more concerned of him not replying rather than your empty stomach.” Kyungsoo flips their sign to OPEN and starts his way back to the counter.

“What would you do if I don’t answers your texts suddenly?”

“I don’t even text you, Baekhyun.”

“I hate you.”

“Darling, I hate me more.”

Baekhyun catches up to him to playfully bump his hip. “Shut up, Kyung. You’re very loveable. You know that.”

“Yeah, duh, Jongin doesn’t make me forget.”

“Forget I ever said that. You’re a little shit.” Baekhyun tries to throw the cloth he’s using at Kyungsoo’s face.

Kyungsoo laughs at his friend wholeheartedly as he catches the dirty cloth. They walk back behind the counter with wide smiles in their lips. 

“Make up your mind, B. And I don’t mean about me being a loveable little shit. I mean about your relationship with Chanyeol.”

 

Not even ten minutes has passed and Kyungsoo hears their first customer come in. He looks up from the coffee machine at the same time Baekhyun looks up from the counter to welcome them.

Surprisingly, Kyungsoo sees Chanyeol smiling back at Baekhyun, walking in with all his glory, and as if he wasn’t gone for a month.

“Hi.” Chanyeol greets his friend upon reaching the cashier.

Baekhyun clears his throat, “What will you be having today, sir?” That sounded awfully like his usual  _ welcoming barista _ tone but a little too enthusiastic.

“The usual.” Chanyeol replies, sounding curt but looking cute.

“I’m sorry but you have to refresh me with your usual drink. It’s been too long you see.”

Kyungsoo almost gags. He wants to, just so he could remind the two that there’s another soul in the area.

“Iced americano, triple shot.”

Baekhyun’s eyebrows flinch in confusion but he moves to punch the order in. However, Chanyeol reaches out to catch his wrist.

Kyungsoo’s eyebrows shot up. He wasn’t informed that he’s subscribed to watch some kind of romcom drama in the morning.

“Sorry.” Chanyeol start, “That was a joke. Vanilla sweet cream cold brew, please.”

“One grande vsccb, to go.” Baekhyun confirms with that smile that can combat the vanilla sweet cream that goes to Chanyeol’s drink.

Kyungsoo breathes loud. Finally, his presence will be known again and maybe, perhaps, the flirting can stop. “Got it.”

Kyungsoo goes through the process of making the coffee in his head as he swiftly maneuvers around his area until there’s a sudden kick in his shoe. He looks up to see Baekhyun smiling weirdly at him with those exaggeratedly wide eyes. Maybe Baekhyun could star in a horror film one day. He would be a very effective ghost.

He ponders for a second if he wants to prolong the agony of his friend. But that would also probably mean that he’ll be prolonging his own agony.

“I mean I got the cashier. Baekhyun’s got the flirting, I mean coffee.”

 

“Are you free tonight?”

Kyungsoo’s not eavesdropping, okay? They’re literally a meter away from him. Flirting, and unconsciously it seems.

“May I ask why?”

“Let me treat you to dinner? It’s been too long since we had one.”

“Oh? What’s the occasion?”

“Remember that Japan trip? Those investors will sign today.”

“Congratulations! Yes, let’s go celebrate!” Baekhyun sounds genuinely excited and happy for the older.

“Good! I’ll pick you up later tonight.” Kyungsoo couldn’t believe that the CEO could smile wider than ever before, and when Baekhyun hands him his drink, Chanyeol winks. “Thanks. You’re an angel, Hyun.”

  
  


Kyungsoo gives it a few beats and waits until Chanyeol has closed the cafe’s door, then he turns to his friend. “Hyun? Since when were you ‘Hyun’? And what happened to thinking about it?”

Baekhyun could only answer with a sheepish smile and more customers trinkle in already.

 

oOo

 

“How did the signing go?” Baekhyun asks Chanyeol as he cuts his steak. They’ve decided to switch this time. Chanyeol gets the ravioli and Baekhyun gets to eat Chanyeol’s favorite food.

“Well enough. They’re the easiest ones I’ve met with so far.”

“That’s because you’re charming and your Japanese is too good.”

Chanyeol has to slightly bow his head to hide his blush from Baekhyun’s compliment.

 

It was an accident when Baekhyun heard him whip out his Japanese speaking skills. The investors called him to invite him to dinner tonight. He had to respectfully decline the invitation as he made prior arrangements already. After the conversation, Baekhyun was gaping at him, surprised by his finesse and the thought of Chanyeol choosing to have dinner with him instead.

 

Chanyeol twists the ravioli neatly in his fork. He assists it with his spoon as he offers the serving to Baekhyun, who automatically opens his mouth to receive his favorite food.

 

“How long have you known Kyungsoo?” Chanyeol asks after he saw Baekhyun finish chewing the ravioli.

“He’s a blockmate’s boyfriend, Jongin. We grew close and then he referred me to XO Cafè. I never see you talk with him though.”

“He’s the quiet type ever since. I hear him take order and that’s about it. But I don’t think that’s bad. It helps when customers are not the social type.”

Baekhyun lightly coughs, choking on a particularly large cut. Chanyeol scrunches his eyebrows in concern, quickly offering a glass of water to Baekhyun who took it and drank water. He dryly coughs a few more times.

“Are you okay, Hyun? What do you need?” Chanyeol’s concern does not waver even after Baekhyun was able to breathe deep.

Baekhyun then waved his hand and made an okay sign. “Hmmkay. You must’ve been so surprised when I took over the counter.”

Chanyeol smiles at the memory. “You were pretty chatty.”

“I hope that wasn’t a bad thing?”

“No,” Chanyeol shakes his head. With the tip of his left pointing finger, he lightly scratches his lower lip, thinking. “Not at all.”

“So has Kyungsoo and Jongin been together for long?”

“Two years. They’re a lovely couple.”

“And what about you?”

“What about me?”

“Why aren’t you in a relationship?”

Baekhyun lays his fork and knife down, and chews intently on his steak. He ponders for a few more seconds and replies to him, “I haven’t really thought about it, Chanyeol. I think my life’s too complicated right now to add another complication.”

“So you think having a relationship is burdensome?”

“That depends on both parties, I guess.” He shrugs, “But judging from what I’m going through right now, I wouldn’t want to impose my issues to my partner, you know.”

Chanyeol nods in understanding, but not necessarily agreeing. 

He feeds Baekhyun another fork of ravioli. By the end of their dinner, Chanyeol must have fed Baekhyun more ravioli than he ate. But it’s not a problem. Chanyeol feels full every time Baekhyun smiles in satisfaction of being fed his favorite food.

  
  


Chanyeol knows happiness. The kind that he feels after closing another deal, signing with an investor, seeing his company slowly rise up. Those are the kinds of happiness he’s been accustomed to his whole life, of satisfaction and success. Chanyeol couldn’t brush off the feeling of bliss in him. It’s almost close to euphoria but the calm kind. The kind that gives him peace and contentment. A very different kind of happiness.

 

Baekhyun chatters beside him in the passenger seat, and it’s a shame that they’re already closing their day, so he decides to make one final trip.

“Where are you taking me?” Baekhyun finally asks him after some time.

“A little angel once told me about this strawberry shortcake down this avenue. Let’s try it.”

“Hey! I’m not little.” Baekhyun says in mock retaliation.

“Then you’re no angel too, I guess.”

He sees Baekhyun stick out a tongue at him. The car fills with chuckles and some playful swats courtesy of Baekhyun.

It’s almost closing time and they’ve just made it in time to order the last strawberry shortcake. The owner adores Baekhyun and gifts them both a bite sized cupcake with whipped cream, a sampler for their next month’s special flavor.

Chanyeol finds Baekhyun staring at that little box of cupcake on their way home. The boy has been less chatty since his focus seems to be taken by the sweet dessert.

“Hey,” Chanyeol calls on softly to his passenger with a brush of his finger to Baekhyun’s cheek. “You’ll make the cupcake melt.”

Baekhyun touches the part where Chanyeol’s finger was, slightly confused if it has really been three at all.

“It looks so good, Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol had to chuckle at Baekhyun’s almost whiny tone. “You could eat it, you know.”

Baekhyun’s head snaps so fast and hard at him. He can feel those affectionate eyes burning their way through his cheek. He wouldn’t dare look at his side lest they fall on a traffic accident. “Just please don’t make a mess. There’s napkin by the dashboard.”

“You have my deepest gratitude, CEO Park.”

In his peripheral view, he sees Baekhyun move his head closer to him and slowly bow until his forehead hits his shoulder. He thinks that the younger bumped to him by mistake until a few seconds passed and Baekhyun still has his head resting on his shoulder.

“Don’t be so dramatic, kid. Go eat before you fall asleep there.” He pats the fluffy hair on his shoulder and the man-puppy jerks awake, excited to take the cupcake in one go.

The next thing Chanyeol knows, Baekhyun is moaning beside him. The sounds that came from Baekhyun was long, loud, and deep. He’s never heard that kind of appreciation from Baekhyun in all of their dinners. The boy really loves his dessert.

“You still alive there?”

“Isshogoodshanyelyoushouldhaveatasteofisheben!” The younger replies fast and a jumble of slurred speech.

“Alright, alright, you sweet tooth.” He reluctantly pull the handbrake. “We’re here already.”

Baekhyun bounces on his seat upon seeing his apartment complex. He takes his things and his box of strawberry shortcake. He opens the car door and twists on his seat, “‘Night, Chanyeol!” He joviantly bids Chanyeol good bye.

However, before Baekhyun could fully lift his butt from his seat, Chanyeol catches him by the arm.

“Wait, come here.” He says as he pulls Baekhyun closer to him. Baekhyun’s face is marred with confusion but Chanyeol has to do this one thing.

Slowly, Chanyeol closes the distance between their faces. Then he uses a finger to swipe at the edge of Baekhyun’s lower lip, removing the whipped cream there. 

Before he can even think about it, Chanyeol licks the whipped cream off his finger.

He is mildly aware of the distance, or lack thereof, between him and Baekhyun. Chanyeol doesn’t move back and Baekhyun doesn’t move closer either.

In their closeness, Chanyeol discovers the cute mole that reside on Baekhyun’s upper lip. He wonders if the mark is flat or raised on his skin. Chanyeol suppresses his urge to swipe his finger on that spot too, as he did on Baekhyun’s lip. How would it feel under his lips?

Baekhyun had to clear his throat to cut his musings. The younger has grown redder on his neck and on the edges of his ears.

_ Cute. _

“Thanks. Night.”

The younger bids him good bye again. This time he lets him go. To save both him and the younger from his impulses.

  
  


It’s past midnight when Chanyeol enters his own apartment with an unerasable smile on his lips. The only sounds present was the jingling of his keys as he set it down on the table by the entrance, a stark difference of how his entire night was filled with Baekhyun’s voice. He puts the small box of cupcake by the center table and he stares at it. He must look stupid, smiling down on the cupcake, dimples showing, but that’s how happy he is. He opens the box to have a taste of what his little angel said to “heaven”. He must compare.

The cupcake is gone in a second and Chanyeol is still smiling the whole time he’s chewing the dessert. He shakes his head. Baekhyun was wrong.

 

The whipped cream on his lips tasted sweeter and better.

  
  


 

oOo

 

Chanyeol wishes the taste lasted longer. But it didn’t. Soon, the sweet taste dried on his lips and made his throat dry.

 

Had Chanyeol been too greedy to take a taste?

 

Amber knocks on his table, his mind drifted from his secretary’s report of his schedule.

“Sorry, what was that again?”

“Saturday dinner, Heechul.”

“Again? Are they sure they won’t be wasting my time again?”

“I think so, boss. Mr. Heechul gave a long speech via phone call. They’re very sure, he said.”

Chanyeol reaches out to take his mug and sip on his coffee. He makes a face.

“You know that you could just order your usual drink in your usual cafè to your usual barista, right?”

Chanyeol winces, from Amber’s sarcasm or from the taste of the unappetizing coffee, he wouldn’t admit.

The coffee makes it worse. He knows this is the same kind of coffee in their pantry that Baekhyun did his magic on weeks ago. And yet this tastes much bitter.

“We’ve been through this. I can’t, Amber.”

“And why is that? He’s ignoring your texts, okay. Then go to him, face him. You know his schedule more than you know yours.”

“If he’s ignoring me digitally, then he must not want to see me in person. That’s how ignoring works, Amber. I want to give him his space.”

Chanyeol hasn’t told Amber, or anyone for that matter.

_ I wiped the whipped cream on his lips and then tasted it. _

He couldn’t think about enunciating it.

Amber throws her hands in the air. “Your call, boss. I just hate seeing you stare at your coffee in the mornings like your damning the drink but you can’t help drinking it the next second.”

 

oOo

  
  


“I swear to Jongin, I’m going to press that call button if you don’t stop staring at it, Baek.” Baekhyun rolls on Kyungsoo’s carpeted floor with a whine. Kyungsoo’s staring at him, unmoving and thankful that Jongin vacuumed this morning, or else Baekhyun would have been rolling on dust.

“I don’t want to call him.”

“Sure you don’t. I’ll just call him then.”

“Why would you do that?”

Kyungsoo shrugs nonchalantly, “to ask for free dinner?”

“Why would he treat you when you have Jongin?”

“I’m just a friend asking for a free dinner, Baek.” Kyungsoo echoes his own words weeks prior. “Do you think he’ll say yes if I ask him?”

_ Yes. _ Baekhyun thinks. Chanyeol would treat Kyungsoo if he asks. That’s the kind of man Chanyeol is. He knows this. But why does it squeeze his heart?

Baekhyun releases a sound that sounds a lot like a whining puppy. He snatches a throw pillow from the couch and then puts it on top of his face. The he murmurs something under it.

Gently, Kyungsoo lifts the throw pillow from Baekhyun’s face. “Stop that. Don’t kill yourself on our carpet.” He reaches out to mindlessly arrange Baekhyun’s bangs.

“I don’t think I’ll be enough for him, Soo. I’m no one.”

“And yet he’s very fond of you. You don’t see it, B, but I swear you two are more disgustingly sweeter than Jongin and I.”

The burdened man sighs and closes his eyes.

“Meet your parents this weekend. They did say they’ll support you again. And whatever outcome it leads to, or whatever your decision will be, talk to Chanyeol. He deserves that, Baekhyun.”

  
  


 

oOo

  
  


 

A red necktie catches Chanyeol’s attention as he’s preparing for tonight’s dinner. He remembers how Baekhyun adviced on it and he later on liked how it looked on him. Chanyeol never wore bold colors. He liked the muted colors, ones that show consistency. In retrospect, he doesn’t remember why he even heeded Baekhyun’s advice. Was Baekhyun’s effect on him this big all this time?

He shakes the thought away for now. He’s not sure why he’s still going through with this arrangement but he hopes that whoever it is that he’s meeting, they’ll be as close to how lovely Baekhyun is.

  
  


Chanyeol is led to a private booth. He slides the tatami door open and steps inside. There’s no Heechul inside, but his date is there already, seating with his back on him. However, Chanyeol is quite sure he knows to whom that broad shoulder belongs to, coupled with the mop of brown fluffy hair.

“Baekhyun?”

His date turns around and he’s met with a face he’s been missing so much.

“You’re Heechul’s nephew?”

“I am…” There’s uncertainty in his voice and the excitement that Chanyeol exudes does not reflect on Baekhyun’s demeanor.

Baekhyun sighs. “They tricked me. They told me they want to meet me here so I can continue with my studies and support me with what I want to do.”

_ Oh. _ Chanyeol then realizes that Baekhyun, too, did not know that they’re about to meet. Baekhyun even thought that he’ll be meeting his parents. At least Chanyeol knew he was here for a dinner date. He can’t help but feel bad for the younger, but also hopeful.

“And?”  _ is there a chance? _ Chanyeol wants to know if they have chance. If Baekhyun seeing him here is such a bad thing. But Baekhyun is unmoving in front of him, looking no less confused.

“What do you mean, and?”

His throat comes dry. He tries to clear it but it only feels like barbed wires are caught in between. “I’m sorry they have to lie to you that way.”

“Chanyeol…”

“It’s okay, Hyun. You didn’t know about it. Let’s just eat, okay? We already ate together before. This is no different.” But it is.

Chanyeol remembers Baekhyun’s words of reluctance about having a relationship and the weeks that the younger blatantly ignored him. Even after some time, Baekhyun didn’t ease. There’s tension in his shoulders and Chanyeol can see that he’s not enjoying his food. He wants to take Baekhyun out of this space so the younger could breathe easier and relax. If only he can do it.

They go finish their dinner in awkward silence. Baekhyun was too wrapped up in his head while Chanyeol couldn’t think of any way to lighten Baekhyun’s mood. Chanyeol insisted on taking Baekhyun home. Baekhyun, seeing the sincerity that Chanyeol always had and his care for him, didn’t disagree.

“‘Night, Chan.” He whispers softly, as if speaking louder would hurt more.

“Take care, Hyun.”

Baekhyun opens the door, steps out, and then he closed it. Chanyeol followed him with his eyes the whole time, not breaking it until Baekhyun closed the door to the apartment complex. He then sighs, head on the steering wheel.

He’s having a hard time breathing. As if Baekhyun took his lungs out of his rib cage, leaving him unable to breathe properly. But Baekhyun has taken something else.

His heart.

And then as if to add torture to his already breaking heart, he remembers how uneasy Baekhyun was during their dinner compared to their other dinners. Was he really averse to the idea of having a relationship with him? But he’s also seen the younger care for him in the minute ways during their dinner. Could this be just the outcome of habit? What about the stolen glances? And the way Baekhyun said good bye to him as if he didn’t want to?

Chanyeol has too many questions and it feels like if he doesn’t talk with Baekhyun tonight, he’ll slip through his life and be completely gone forever.

Chanyeol wouldn’t want that.

  
  


He sprints through the apartment complex and easily finds Baekhyun’s door. He knocks softly, but urgently.

Baekhyun opens the door for him. He must have appeared anxious because Baekhyun let him in with just one look.

Before Baekhyun could say anything else, Chanyeol asks him, “Do you even like me, Baekhyun?”

“What?”

“Look, I understand that you already have one foot outside the door. Not your apartment’s door but… you know what I mean.”  Chanyeol takes a deep breath and runs his hands on his face. “What I mean is, I know that you don’t want this arrangement. But can’t I make you stay?”

“Chanyeol, I don’t understand.”

“I told you I didn’t want the idea of a relationship, that I had no time for it. But these past few weeks with you, it made me realize that building one doesn’t necessarily mean I have to compromise my work. I craved for the time I spent with you and how I always wish that we have one more minute together. You weren’t in my schedule ever, Baekhyun, but somehow I end up having time for you. I want to have time for you.” Chanyeol closes the distance between them in Baekhyun’s small living room. He takes both of Baekhyun’s hands and his heart eases a bit when the younger doesn’t pull away. “I came here thinking that it was possible. And maybe, whoever this person they’re trying to set me up with is as amazing as you. Knowing that it’s actually you that I’m meeting is more than I could have ever hoped for.” Chanyeol took their hands and held it to his chest. “You made me want to give building a relationship a chance. Will you take this chance with me?  But I would understand if you don’t want me.”

Chanyeol is met with silence after his confession. He gives it a few more seconds, eyes not leaving Baekhyun’s, and tries to read the younger through them. Baekhyun doesn’t give away anything. His face has remained calm. Chanyeol then dropped their hands but did not let them go.

Until, “Do I still get to have free dinners?”

Chanyeol doesn’t understand but Baekhyun has his teasing smile.

“Didn’t you hear me when I told you anyone would be stupid to turn you down? How could I ever turn you down? You know my issues, Chanyeol. I’m working my way through them slowly. And you’ve made the past weeks very much lighter for me. As if I’ve found a stronghold and an anchor.” Baekhyun slowly lets his hands go, but puts them on Chanyeol’s face. He cradles his face with his thumbs caressing his cheeks lightly. “The dinners were nice, Chanyeol, that I have to admit. But you must’ve known that I was falling.”

Chanyeol doesn’t answer. He was busy falling for Baekhyun, he couldn’t see that as well.

“No? Wow old man, I don’t know if my game is weak or you’re just really…”

Then he cuts Baekhyun’s words by cradling the younger’s face with his hands as well. “I would really want to kiss you right now.”

“But I don’t have cream in my lips right now.” Baekhyun and his teasing smile. How did Chanyeol survive those days without it?

“Shut up and kiss me already.”

 

They’re such idiots. Two full grown adult playing some kind of push and pull of kissing in the middle of the living room. One pushes to kiss but the other would pull or stop the other. They alternate in this game with stupid smiles and quiet laughter. Until they couldn’t hold it in and they relent at the same time, meeting in the middle, embracing each other, and tasting that sweet reward.

 

The kiss is sweeter and softer than any whipped cream. 

 

 

Time is a funny thing. The clock says it’s close to midnight but Chanyeol was sure that they’ve only started kissing. He’s been looking forward to this, to kissing Baekhyun, to having Baekhyun in his arms, that it feels like he’s waited for years. And then when he’s got here, hours of having Baekhyun close to him seemed like a minute. He wonders if this is what their forever will feel like. Will it feel like a second too soon?

 

But maybe it doesn’t matter. No matter how it is, Chanyeol is determined to fill it with all his love for Baekhyun.

 

oOo

  
  


### EPILOGUE

It’s cold in Japan but Baekhyun feels so warm.

He’s sitting on a hot tub, back on his lover’s chest. He’s about to doze off but the sweetest voice rouses him. “Move in with me.”

He opens his eyes and continuous to trace indiscernible patterns on Chanyeol’s peeking knee. “Almost all of my clothes and books are in your apartment, love. Also, your clothes are basically my clothes too. Doesn’t that count as moving in?”

“Move in with me.” Chanyeol repeats.

The water sloshes around them as Baekhyun turns around. Chanyeol helps him maneuver around the small tub so he can sit on his lap. He’s very confused and Chanyeol’s lazy smile isn’t helping. Chanyeol bops his nose with a knuckle and then he’s suddenly reaching across from him, towards his robe. He takes advantage of their closeness and hugs his giant lover like a koala. He hides by the older’s neck, breathing in their closeness like a lifeline.

His second year of Law school was hard on both him and Chanyeol. But they pushed through and Chanyeol rewards him with this Japan trip.

Chanyeol leans back on the tub again, taking Baekhyun with him but he coaxes him to look at something.

Baekhyun is presented with a small blue expensive looking box. Chanyeol opens the box and his jaw drops.

Two silver rings sit at the center of the opened box.

Chanyeol smiles at him, with his dimples, and looking very much like a young boy rather than a thirty three year old man. “It’s not what you think, Hyun.” Chanyeol then kisses his chin, making him close his mouth. Then Chanyeol takes out the smaller silver band and presents it to him, “it’s a promise ring. I want to take care of you, Baekhyun. Be there for you all the time. Witness all your smile and your laughs. Even catch all the highlighters you want to throw when you’re frustrated with your cases. I’ll arrange your sticky notes by color, run to the store to buy you pen refills. But above it all, I want to promise you my unending love.”

Baekhyun is caught in his feelings. He can’t believe that he found Chanyeol and this amazing man loves him with such intensity. He buries his face on Chanyeol’s chest and lightly hits the other on his shoulder.

“You should be kneeling the next time you give me a ring, okay?”

He feels Chanyeol’s chuckle and a kiss on top of his head. When he faces his lover again, Chanyeol’s smiling like the sun had died and made Chanyeol take over it’s business.

Baekhyun takes qtye larger ring and puts it on Chanyeol’s finger. And then he let Chanyeol put his matching ring on his finger. Chanyeol then takes his hand and then kisses the ring, then his wrist, right where his pulse is, and then the edge of his shoulder. He anticipates the kiss on his neck the most, he knows that this is one of Chanyeol’s favorite parts so he gives it more attention, driving Baekhyun crazy. Until those lips met his own lips, exchanging words and promises for kisses.

  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> \+ Hi sash! First, I apologize for the lateness of this fic. I’m sorry you had to wait for so long. I hope it made you smile, maybe even just a little. I would love to read your comment.  
> \+ Thank you F! Again, I’m not even writing, if not for you (or because of you lol). I know you’re busy so I hope you get the chance to read this.  
> \+ Thank you M for reading this and giving me the courage to submit by your reactions and excitement over it. Your support means so much to me.  
> \+ Thank you Mods! I’m very sorry that this took a LOOOONG TIME. You guys are a blessing to us. Have strength!  
> \+ DEAREST READERS, if you are reading this then kudos to YOU!!!! I can’t believe that you stuck through 10k of word vomit and more of this end note O_O Did you enjoy it? Which parts made you smile the most? What would you like to have happened? I would love to read any kind of reactions from you. I understand keyboard smash! Hehehe.  
> \+ LASTLY, I SWEAR, FOR COFFEE LOVERS OUT THERE!!!! Have you tried vanilla sweet cream cold brew in strbcks? Or anywhere else? Try it! It’s more on the strong side but still kinda sweet. Like iced americano with vanilla cream. Lol. OKAY IM GONNA SHUT UP NOW. Hehe.


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